Learn about Georgia’s barrier islands during this weekend workshop hosted by Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant.

UGA Ecologist Kimberly Andrews will kick-off the two-day workshop with a Friday evening lecture on barrier island ecology that will focus on native animals found on Georgia’s barrier islands and how they interact with each other and their surrounding habitats. Andrews runs the Applied Wildlife Conservation Lab at UGA Odum School of Ecology. Joe Pfaller with Caretta Research Project will also present on sea turtle conservation and recovery efforts in Georgia.

On Saturday, the group will take a boat trip to Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge and meet Wildlife Refuge Specialist Christopher Cooley, who will talk about local conservation projects on the island. Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant Naturalist John “Crawfish” Crawford will lead an interpretive hike across the island, highlighting the diversity of barrier island habitats, including maritime forest, salt marsh, dunes and beach habitat.

The hike will end on the beach and the group will have the opportunity to search for shells, animal tracks, and other items on the shoreline. Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant Educator Dodie Sanders will lead a shell circle to identify the items found by participants before giving a talk on the negative impacts of marine debris on coastal and estuarine ecosystems. Sanders will provide guidance on how to limit the amount of plastics entering the ocean.